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Georgia Tech Football: Geoff Collins Gives Tech Fans a Needed Lift

By Lee Cagle

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Geoff Collins of the Temple Owls looks on during warm ups before the start of the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl against the Fiu Golden Panthers on December 21, 2017 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Geoff Collins of the Temple Owls looks on during warm ups before the start of the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl against the Fiu Golden Panthers on December 21, 2017 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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Georgia Tech fans have been through a lot the last few weeks, getting beat badly in Athens, Paul Johnson announces he is stepping down, bowl game (snub) selection, and then enters Geoff Collins.

After being pounded by the Bulldogs in Athens there was not a lot to be excited for in the Georgia Tech fandom. A 7-5 team that had lost its shine for most fans in the middle of the season, and very little optimism for the bowl game selection.

The Belk Bowl looked like a sure thing and even if it wasn’t there was history to made in Annapolis where Coach Paul Johnson could have his swan song. However, the powers that be decided that Detroit would be the Christmas destination for the Yellow Jackets.

Following that bittersweet moment of postseason play but in a less than ideal setting for most fans, we turned our attention to the search for our new head coach. Rumors were rampant and there was an extensive wish list of names from Tech fans around the world.

The first candidate was Ken Whisenhunt from the L.A. Chargers and a Tech grad himself. The fan base all came together on that one and sent a resounding “NO!” to Todd Stansbury and the search continued. A few more days went by, and speculation was off the charts, but one name was in the back of the pack that kept rising up the ladder. Geoff Collins from Temple who had worked under George O’Leary at Tech, Dan Mullen at Mississippi State and some guy named Nick Saban at Alabama.

Geoff Collins was officially named the new head coach the first week of December and during his introductory press conference said all the right things. He talked about vision and schemes (what’s a tight end?) and how excited he was for the opportunity. He even went as far as to ban red ink on his watch. Since he has been hired Collins has lifted Tech fan’s spirits in ways that many Tech fans didn’t even know they needed.

Next. Georgia Tech Football Recruiting: Last Recruiting Weekend Before Early National Signing Day. dark

In the last week alone, he seems to have been anywhere and everywhere a possible recruit might be. He is the ying  to Paul Johnson’s yang, and say what you want about CPJ and his like or dislikes of the recruiting trail Geoff Collins has replaced it with a whole new energy and zest. Time will tell if Collins is the coach Tech were all begging for to retore the program to it’s former heights but for right now Collins has the Tech fan base rejuvenated.